Personal Social and Health Education
PSHE Intent
Our encompassing theme throughout all our PSHE lesson is demonstrating respect and understanding for each other and our differing views and experiences, as a family would. We are a school family rooted in God's love.
As a small Christian family, children build strong relationships, learn to work together and support each other through life’s celebrations and challenges. PSHE aims to nurture and develop personal, social as well as the children’s understanding of their physical and mental health. This will enable them to develop into responsible citizens with an understanding of our British Values. Children develop independence, confidence and self-worth though friendship and love, where they are encouraged to share and show respect for differing viewpoints and cultural experiences. Much of the understanding of relationships, teamwork, democracy, respect and making safe choices is taught through PSHE but practiced and developed throughout all aspects of school life. We aim that our children are safe, mentally well and able to develop the skills needed to grow into caring, respectful citizens who can achieve their full potential
PSHE Curriculum Implementation
PSHE is taught each week using SCARF Coram Education program of study in years 1 to 6, and during the summer term in Reception. The SCARF program of study is very comprehensive and yet flexible, enabling teachers to select and adapt lessons which best meet the local circumstances of our school and a particular cohort of children. Lessons cover all of the DfE’s statutory requirements for Sex and Relationships Education and the PSHE Association’s Programme of Study’s recommended learning opportunities.
PSHE consists of many elements: health and wellbeing: both mental and physical, relationships: understanding ourselves and others around us and living in the wider world: building a respect and understanding of those around us.
By its nature, PSHE involves much discussion and collaboration. The use of ‘circle time’, where children agree a set of rules for their discussions, is a core concept in the majority of lessons where children speak confidently about their views, ideas and opinions.
Developing responsible citizens is also interwoven within other curriculum areas. For example, when children are taken on a trip, they are to be encouraged to show respect for all members of the public and visit leaders listening and showing appreciation for their time, understanding and respecting the Laws of England Cross-curricular links are made where appropriate, such as in PE: discussions about healthy lifestyles; computing: applying knowledge of keeping ourselves safe online and RE: developing an understanding and respect for all religious beliefs.
In conjunction with RE, PSHE makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development, their behaviour and safety and to their emotional wellbeing. It contributes to personal development by helping pupils to build their confidence, resilience and self-esteem, and to identify and manage risk; make informed choices and understand what influences their decisions. It enables children to recognise, accept and shape their identities; to understand and accommodate difference and change; to manage emotions and to communicate constructively in a variety of settings. Children grow an understanding of themselves, learning how to empathise and work with others. This helps pupils to form and maintain good relationships, develop the essential skills for future employability, enabling them to enjoy and manage their lives.
The Early Years Foundation Stage
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, PSHE education is about making connections; it’s strongly linked to child-led activities, including play. PSHE is taught through activities that are part of topics, as well as on an individual basis to develop personal skills such as dressing, feeding and toileting. Positive experiences are built through daily opportunities to share and enjoy a range of different activities. Children are given the opportunity to engage in social activities, as members of a small group or during whole-school activities. Personal, social and emotional development (PSED) supports children to learn to get on with others and make friends; understand and talk about feelings; learn about ‘right’ and ‘wrong’; develop independence and ultimately feel good about themselves. This is built upon in the summer term, when Reception children use SCARF EYFS lessons to develop these concepts.
British Values
Our British Values are integrated throughout our PSHE curriculum and are embedded into the ethos of our school. We cover our British Values through weekly worships, Picture News stories and during PSHE lessons. We also link our British Values to our Christian Values.
Relationship Education (SRE)
Relationship Education teaches the fundamental building blocks of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships and relationships with other children and adults. This area of the curriculum is regularly enriched and personalised with our Christian Values.
In collaboration with Governors and thought consultation with parents (2019), in our school, SRE is an opportunity to answer children’s questions about where they came from, an opportunity to explore their own stories and to be clear about how a baby is conceived and formed as set out in human life cycle, set out in the national curriculum for science. Furthermore, we aim to ensure that all children are prepared for both the physical and emotional changes of puberty including menstruation.
Our teaching gradually expands and enriches key concepts, increases knowledge, deepens understanding, and rehearses and develops key skills that the children will need. The RSE elements lay the foundations of understanding about growth and change and respect for one another. Elements of SRE include: Key stage 1 children learn the correct names / scientific names for genitalia and the Pant-a-saurous rule (NSPCC) that genitalia are private; later in upper key stage 2, it will promote the preparation for the changes of puberty and early adolescence.
Our scheme of work takes account of the statutory guidance for SRE and PSHE as directed by the PSHE Association as well as from feedback from parent consultation. The SCARF Scheme of Work is progressive and the content is intended to be age sensitive with the emphasis upon developing age-appropriate levels of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Specific cross-curricular links are made with other subjects, with particular reference to the Science curriculum. SRE lesson will always be teacher-led with class teachers having responsibility for the curriculum. Full details of the SRE curriculum can be found in the SRE Policy.
Impact
The impact of our approach to PSHE is regularly and carefully monitored. It is essential that our children are happy in school and this is a key indicator for us. More formally, Teacher Assessments are conducted at the end of every lesson, feeding into an end of unit evaluation against the SCARF 'I can' statements which summarise learning against each unit's key learning outcomes. This evaluation is used to inform future planning. As PSHE Association advises, assessment in PSHE education is not about passing or failing. We compare children's results against his or her previous results, so the benchmark against which progress is measured is the pupil’s own starting point.
The subject leader regularly monitors the teaching of PSHE through learning walkthroughs, books looks and talking with the children. A focused action plan has been written in order to move the subject forward.
Our aim is that our children leave school with an understanding of respect and tolerance for differences. Through our family feel we strive for each child to feel loved and supported whist gaining the important skills to support them though life's journey: mental as well as physical health; independence; knowledge to keep themselves safe and a sense of self worth.
The subject leader for PSHE is Ms Latimer.
